


Lilies Mean I Dare You To Love Me

by chinkychunk



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2019-08-20 05:06:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16549487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chinkychunk/pseuds/chinkychunk
Summary: Son Chaeyoung is a transfer student at a prestigious all-girls school. She is less than enthusiastic about the school's sheltered atmosphere and strange traditions, especially the strange peer mentorship system. Nevertheless, she finds herself roped into activities of the elite student council, where she finds herself attracted to a cold yet elegant upperclassman.





	1. Rich Kid Brat Academy

"I can't believe my parents are shipping me off to that school in the mountains!"

Son Chaeyoung sat on the floor against her bed, with her knees bent to support a sketchbook. She growled in frustration as she erased furiously, while trying to balance her cellphone between her ear and her shoulder.

"Chill, Chaeng! That school just happens to be one of the best schools in the country. And don't forget, I'll be there too!" responded a teasing voice over the call.

"Being in the same school as you is fine, Jeongyeon-unnie," grumbled Chaeyoung, picking up a pencil and trying to fix her sketch. "But does it have to be JYP Academy? A school of stuck-up rich girls who spend their days worrying about what brand of tea to drink in fancy teacups? I'd rather stab myself with this pencil than have a discussion comparing English breakfast tea and chamomile!"

Jeongyeon gave a hearty laugh and replied, "I really think you have the wrong impression about my school. I mean, yeah, the students tend to come from pretty wealthy families, but they aren't as bad as you make them seem. They're more like sheltered from the world. Where did you even get that idea of them being stuck-up from?"

"I hear things," grunted Chaeyoung, giving up on the sketch and tossing the book aside. "Everyone from my old school said that JYP Academy is basically a prison for rich kid brats."

"Being a boarding school doesn't make it a prison. Admit it, Chaeyoung," chided Jeongyeon in a kind way, "you're just upset that your parents are leaving you here for now."

"Am not!" whined Chaeyoung, which was an outright lie. Her parents had been transferred overseas for work in the United States, and had decided to leave her in South Korea to finish high school. That meant being stuck in JYP Academy for the next three years. She took a deep breath and answered honestly, "I just don't understand why I have to go to some prim and proper ladies school. You know your school is called a bride factory?"

Jeongyeon sighed and gently told her, "I've heard that, and that's not true. You know your parents chose JYP Academy because they think it's a good school. They want what's best for you." A short silence hung between them as Chaeyoung thought about what she said.

Abruptly changing her tone, Jeongyeon continued, "Tomorrow is your first day! I can't wait to see you in the uniform!"

Chaeyoung snorted and glanced at the uniform that hung against the wall. It was a dark blue blazer paired with a short gray skirt. Inside the blazer hung a white collared shirt and a striped red necktie. Chaeyoung hated to admit it to herself, but the uniform was cute.

"I can hear you admiring the uniform."

"Shut up, unnie!"

Jeongyeon laughed. "Go to sleep already, midget. You'll never grow if you stay up this late. Since you're riding with me, you'll have to wake up a bit early. We have to get to school by 7:00 tomorrow. I've got uniform guard duty."

"Uniform guard duty? What is that?" Everything about this new school seemed strange to Chaeyoung.

"I told you that I'm part of the student council, right? Every morning, some members stand by the school entrance and note down who isn't wearing their uniform correctly."

"That's just plain fascist," gasped Chaeyoung.

"Whatever you say, midget! Get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow!"

After hanging up the phone, Chaeyoung picked up the sketchbook she had tossed aside. She had been trying to sketch the emblem of JYP Academy. It started out as an exercise of boredom, but eventually she was trying to use it as a means to absorb the idea that she was transferring schools. The crest of the school was quite ornate, with two white lilies intertwined at the center. She sighed and packed the book into her school bag, which was one of the few items she had left in her bedroom. All of her other belongings had already been packed and sent to the dormitories at JYP Academy earlier that day.

Her phone buzzed with a message.

From: Jeongyeon-unnie  
"Good night, kiddo! I'll pick you up by 6:15!"

 _At least Jeongyeon-unnie will be with me_ , thought Chaeyoung, as she typed a quick reply and settled in for the night.

* * *

True to her word, Jeongyeon showed up at exactly 6:15. Still bleary-eyed from sleep, Chaeyoung could only grunt a morning greeting before she slid next to the driver seat.

"Hey! Your necktie isn't fixed! You're exactly the kind of student I'll scold later."

"Give me a break! I've never tied one before!"

"Okay, okay, I'll give you a pass for now. I'll teach you how to tie it later," said Jeongyeon gently as she pulled out of Chaeyoung's driveway.

Confidently driving her new Hyundai Elantra, Jeongyeon didn't seem to match the image of a typical JYP student. Her short, bobbed hair accentuated her sharp features. She had a slim face with strong eyes, which intimidated many people when they first met her. It didn't help that she always scowled, as if she was in a foul mood. But since Chaeyoung had known her since they were children, she knew that Jeongyeon was actually quite playful and loved pulling pranks and jokes, even when they rarely earned laughs in return. Most of her scowls were caused by hunger, since she had a quick metabolism matched by a huge appetite. Yet, despite her insatiable appetite, Jeongyeon had managed to maintain a model figure. Chaeyoung had always been jealous of Jeongyeon-unnie's proportions, especially her long legs.

Whenever Chaeyoung heard the word "cute" used to describe her, she flinched. Despite turning sixteen recently, she was often mistaken as a middle schooler. She blamed her 159cm frame and her eyes. She was often told that the shape of her eyes was unique and made her look younger than she seemed. She hated that compliment. Looking young meant people wouldn't take her seriously, and frankly, Chaeyoung was tired of being treated like a child.

"Ready for your first day, Chaeng?"

An hour on the road had passed by in the blink of an eye. Lost in her thoughts, Chaeyoung was startled to realize that they had already entered the school gates and parked on campus. She quickly grabbed her stuff from the backseat and followed Jeongyeon out of the car, doubling her pace to match her long-legged strides. They walked together along a long, wide brick path. Chaeyoung could see the imposing school building in the distance straight ahead.

Whoa. This really is a rich kid school.

"Over there is the library. The greenhouse is down this path. That building over there is the gym. The swimming pool is right beside it." Jeongyeon pointed at each building's general direction, never breaking her brisk pace. Chaeyoung's brain was swimming in the wave of all this new information. There were no other students around, so she assumed they were the first ones in school.

"Okay, I have to stay here!" Jeongyeon stopped suddenly. Chaeyoung was surprised by the abrupt movement and lightly bumped into her, which made Jeongyeon chuckle. "I told the other council members I'd meet them here by the fountain." She gestured at the nearby marble fountain that stood at the center of the path. Chaeyoung leaned forward to examine the design, when Jeongyeon reminded her, "You have to head to the faculty office and introduce yourself to the teachers. They'll let you know which class you're in."

Chaeyoung glanced around and pointed at the school building, which was still roughly a hundred meters away. "I just have to go there, right? That building?"

"Yup. Just head in, turn at the first left. The faculty room is on the right side of the hallway."

"Got it."

"See you later, midget! Try not to get stepped on on your first day!"

Chaeyoung scowled hard at Jeongyeon, while resisting the urge to laugh, then she turned around and headed towards the school building. Without Jeongyeon's commentary and almost-jog-like pace, Chaeyoung found herself observing her surroundings more intensely as she walked. The sides of the brick path were densely shielded by tall treees, filled with bright white flowers. Small pathways extended along the sides, with little signs indicating their destinations. Long, wooden benches and intricate, old-fashioned streetlamps decorated the main path.

A relatively strong breeze burst through the trees and knocked several white flowers into a small frenzied tornado. Chaeyoung turned her head to admire the sight as she walked to the building when--

BAM!

The strong impact startled Chaeyoung and caused her to stumble back. She managed to stay on her feet. The same couldn't be said about the person she bumped into, who had been knocked down to the ground.

"I'm so sorry!" cried Chaeyoung, rushing over and extending her hand to help the girl up.

The girl shook her head lightly, as if to wake herself up. Then she looked at Chaeyoung's extended hand, followed it up her arm, then looked straight ino her eyes.

Chaeyoung gulped.

The girl was the most attractive person she had ever seen. Her hair may have been disheveled from the fall, but it didn't matter. There was just something so aesthetically pleasing about her. Her brown eyes reminded Chaeyoung of well-polished mahogany, like an antique that bore the weight of its history with quiet elegance. Her skin was pale, which further accentuated the beauty mark on the bridge of her nose. With a slightly fuller lower lip, her mouth seemed to have a natural pout. Chaeyoung was absolutely stunned.

She forgot what she was doing and almost flinched when the girl reached out and accepted her hand for help. Chaeyoung pulled her to her feet with a grunt and dropped her hand quickly as if she had been burned.

"I-- I'm so-- so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!" she stammered in apology, bowing her head profusely.

There was a soft chuckle, and Chaeyoung heard a timid voice say, "It's okay. I'm just glad you weren't hurt. Just be careful."

Chaeyoung glanced up and realized the girl was struggling to hide a smile. Seeing that reaction made her grin widely in return. She straightened up from her apologetic bow, when the girl suddenly stepped forward and shortened the distance between them. Chaeyoung found herself a mere foot away from her. The girl stood half a head taller, and Chaeyoung could smell her perfume.  _Sweet pea_ , she realized,  _my favorite_.

"Your necktie is untied."

The girl reached for the ends of Chaeyoung's tie, and she began to tie it swiftly. As gentle as she tried to be, she occasionally tugged a bit harder than she intended, which pulled Chaeyoung closer and made her painfully aware of how hard her heart was beating.

A barely whispered "finished" signalled that the knot had been tied, and she was released.

"Th--Thank you." Chaeyoung barely managed to stutter the words out.

"You're welcome," replied the girl with a gentle smile. "I don't recognize you. Are you a transfer student?"

Chaeyoung nodded, not quite sure if she wanted to maintain eye contact with her. She decided to stare at her shoes out of embarrassment.

"Please watch where you are going next time. Now, if you'll excuse me." The girl side-stepped around Chaeyoung and headed down the brick path, leaving the scent of her perfume in her absence. Chaeyoung watched her walk away, painfully aware of how hard her heart was beating.

_Maybe studying in this rich kid brat academy won't be such a bad thing after all._


	2. Welcome to JYP Academy

Realizing that she was standing there like an idiot, Chaeyoung shook herself out off her trance and hurried into the school building. Recalling Jeongyeon's instructions, she quickly found the faculty room and introduced herself to the teachers. She was informed that she was in Class 1-A. She decided to head to her classroom immediately, instead of wandering around and risking getting lost in her new school.

First-year classrooms were located on the third floor. Chaeyoung trudged up two flights of stairs. She scanned the third floor hallway and found the door leading to 1-A. She slid the door open, expecting to be the first one in the classroom.

She wasn't.

A girl who was barely taller than her stood across the room. She seemed to have just opened the windows and was enjoying the morning breeze. Her bright blonde hair shined as a stark contrast against the classroom's practical, no-nonsense aesthetic. The sound of the sliding door startled her, and she spun to face the door quickly. When she saw Chaeyoung standing at the door, a wide grin spread on her face.

She eagerly strode over to the door and stopped right in front of Chaeyoung. "Hi! I can't believe we're getting a transfer student this year!" she gushed excitedly. She extended her hand and introduced herself, "My name's Kim Dahyun. I guess we'll be classmates this year."

Despite the abrupt interaction, Chaeyoung couldn't help smiling; something about this girl was instantly likeable. She shook Dahyun's hand quickly and introduced herself in return. Glancing down at her classmate's outstretched arm, Chaeyoung was mildly surprised by her clear, pale complexion; it put the classroom's white walls to shame.

Noticing Chaeyoung's observation, Dahyun chuckled and joked, "I know, I know, I can totally blend in with the walls at this school." That quick, witty response only made Chaeyoung like this interesting girl even more.

"So... can I just sit anywhere?"

"Yeah, it's just the first day after all. We'll probably have our assigned seats by the end of the week. Until then, sit next to me!" Dahyun pulled Chaeyoung over to the back row and gestured at the empty seat beside hers. After setting her bag down, Chaeyoung leaned over the open window and admired the view.

Their third-floor classroom was located almost directly above the school entrance. A steady stream of students, all dressed in JYP Academy's stylish signature skirt and blazer, walked on the main path. The girls walked either in pairs or small groups, speaking quietly. The loudest voices came from girls who greeted their friends excitedly from afar, then immediately resumed talking in relatively hushed tones.

The loud greetings usually occurred around the fountain area, where Chaeyoung had last seen Jeongyeon-unnie. She scanned the grounds and quickly found her childhood friend, standing authoritatively near the fountain and holding a clipboard.

"Ah, that's the student council. They're in charge of uniform checks. You have to make sure your uniform is tidy, or they'll give you a warning. Three strikes will earn you a penalty chore somewhere in the school," explained Dahyun, leaning against the window sill beside Chaeyoung.

"Jeongyeon-unnie should have mentioned that," said Chaeyoung absentmindedly.

"Jeongyeon-unnie?" Dahyun tilted her head in confusion. "I thought you just transferred here. How do you already know Yoo Jeongyeon?"

"Oh, Jeongyeon-unnie and I grew up together. She actually gave me a ride to school," explained Chaeyoung.

Dahyun whistled to show her surprise. "Yoo Jeongyeon is one of the most popular students at this school. That's actually why she's in the student council. It's basically a popularity contest to elect the Roses."

"Roses?"  _Why is she suddenly talking about flowers?_  thought Chaeyoung, quizzically raising her eyebrow at Dahyun.

"My bad, I should have been clear," laughed Dahyun, playfully slapping Chaeyoung's arm. "Roses are the titles given to the three officers of the student council. They organize events for the students, act as representatives outside school, and also act as the disciplinary arm of the faculty."

"That's a lot of responsibilities for three people to handle!" exclaimed Chaeyoung incredulously. It baffled Chaeyoung to know that Jeongyeon-unnie had a side like that; back home, she had always seemed so laidback and casual, randomly barging into Chaeyoung's room for snacks and company.

Chaeyoung squinted harder at the fountain, trying to identify the other Roses aside from Jeongyeon-unnie. However, instead of two others, she counted another five people holding clipboards and greeting the students who passed. Unlike Jeongyeon, who was distinguishable due to her short hair, the others were too far for Chaeyoung to discern their features.

"Well, the Roses don't do all that work by themselves," added Dahyun, pointing in their direction. "They have their mentees to help them. The official term is Rosebuds but that cheesy name isn't really catching on. We usually just call them the Roses' mentees. They help the Roses out with student council work. Most of the time, they end up being the next Roses in the coming school year."

_Roses? Rosebuds? What the heck is JYP Academy supposed to be? A flower garden?_ thought Chaeyoung, bemused by all the new terminology.

"You're really good at explaining things, Dahyun," praised Chaeyoung earnestly. "One more thing though: what are mentees?"

"And here I thought I was so good at explaining things, I actually forgot to explain that last bit!" Dahyun laughed and continued, "JYP Academy has a tradition called the peer mentorship system. Basically, upperclassmen and underclassmen pair up as support. The upperclassmen have to teach the underclassmen how to behave like a proper lady, while the underclassmen learn by example and show their respect."

"So it's like an institutionalized, cross-generational, symbiotic friendship?" Chaeyoung could barely hide the confusion in her tone.

"Close enough!" Dahyun grinned and added, "Don't worry, you don't have to think about that for now! Oh, I hear footsteps in the corridor. Classmates will probably be arriving soon. Let me introduce you to them! But before that, I wanna be the first to say: Welcome to JYP Academy, Son Chaeyoung!"


	3. Beauty and the Sleeping Beast

After her new friend, Dahyun, had eagerly introduced her to the rest of the class, Chaeyoung felt the rest of the morning flash by. Everyone had been welcoming and friendly, politely asking questions about her old school and her own interests. They certainly weren't the stuck-up brats she had been expecting. It was a pleasant surprise.

As soon as the lunch bell rang, Dahyun approached Chaeyoung. "Come on, I'll show you to the cafeteria! We have to hurry though! I heard there's a sale on choco pies today!"

Chaeyoung wasn't an avid fan of choco pies, but Dahyun clearly was; they quickly set off for the cafeteria at a brisk walking pace. The route wasn't a straightforward one. Dahyun led her through so many corridors and stairwells that Chaeyoung realized she needed a map to get around this school by herself.

Eventually, they reached the cafeteria. It was a large, spacious room, filled with long, white tables. While a tidy line of students waited in front of the food display for lunch, a small crowd had formed in one corner. Dahyun pointed it out, "That's the snack corner. Every Monday, they sell different snacks at super discounted prices. And today, it's choco pies! I'm going to wade in. Do you want anything?"

Chaeyoung shook her head and replied, "Go ahead. I'll check out what's available for lunch." She studied at the menu board and decided to order some japchae. By the time she paid for her food and received it from the lunch lady, Dahyun returned with an armful of choco pies. The amount was so comically large that Chaeyoung couldn't help laughing aloud.

They sat down at one of the long tables. Chaeyoung was glad to discover that the cafeteria food at JYP Academy was delicious, and she devoured the whole plate of japchae with gusto. Meanwhile, Dahyun seemed bent on eating choco pies for lunch. Between unwrapping the snacks and stuffing her face, she told Chaeyoung more about the school.

"By the end of the week, we'll be given the afternoon off to check out the high school clubs. I'm thinking of joining either the light music club or the drama club. What about you?"

Chaeyoung paused in mid-chew, and considered the question. After some thought, she answered, "I like drawing, so I guess I'd like to join the art club. There must be one at this school, right?"

Dahyun nodded enthusiastically, mouth too full of choco pie for her to reply. It took her a while to swallow it down with a chug of water, then she eagerly said, "The art club here is really good! They actually have an exhibit set up near the club rooms. We can stop by there before we head back to class!"

Chaeyoung smiled with her mouth full of japchae noodles. Her new friend was getting more and more adorable with every conversation they had.

* * *

After they had finished their lunch (well, if choco pies could be considered as "lunch"), Dahyun led Chaeyoung to the art club's exhibit. They walked out of the cafeteria at a leisurely pace, since they still had about half an hour before afternoon classes began.

The route to the club rooms passed through the main brick path in front of the school building. Once they reached the fountain where Chaeyoung had last seen Jeongyeon earlier that morning, Dahyun stopped abruptly to wiggle a rock out of her shoe. While she was busy, Chaeyoung studied the water fountain. It was a large marble structure, about five meters in diameter with a central piece that stood at least one meter above the water's surface. It seemed to be an abstract sculpture of metal, designed to look like nine birds about to take flight. Fascinated, Chaeyoung circled the fountain to see how the sculpture looked from the other side.

As she reached the opposite end of the fountain, she heard a soft voice saying, "Excuse me."

Chaeyoung spun around to face the speaker, but she wasn't the one being addressed. The girl who had spoken was a few meters away, standing in front of a bench and gently shaking a student who seemed to be fast asleep. Curious, Chaeyoung approached the odd pair. Standing right behind the girl, Chaeyoung realized that the speaker was quite tall, because she towered over her by more than a head.

"Excuse me. I don't think you're allowed to sleep here. Especially not like this."

The tall girl continued to shake and prod the sleeping student, who had lain down and stretched out over the bench in a generally unladylike way. The student continued to snore loudly, with her body turned towards the back support of the bench and her hair messily draped over her face.

"Do you need help?" asked Chaeyoung. The tall girl stiffened with a jolt and turned quickly. It stung Chaeyoung's pride a bit when she noticed that the girl had to actively turn her face downwards to make eye contact. But her mind went completely blank when she realized that the tall girl standing in front of her was stunningly gorgeous.

The girl was basically a living doll. In addition to her height, she was slender with long limbs. Her long, black hair was tied in a tight pony tail that highlighted her small face and sharp features. She stood straight with perfect posture, as if an invisible string was attached to the top of her head and held taut by a vertical force.

"Er... She isn't waking up," said the girl hesitantly. Her Korean had an accent, enough to let Chaeyoung guess that she may have been a foreigner. "If I'm not mistaken, the bell might ring soon. I've been trying to wake her up for the past five minutes, but she just keeps sleeping." She sighed with resignation.

"Let me try," said Chaeyoung. She walked behind the bench and reached over the back to shake the sleeping student's shoulder with more vigor. She also raised her voice as she said, "Excuse me! Excuse me! It's time to wake up!"

Reacting to sounds for the first time, the student grumbled, "Ehhh... Five more minutes, Jeongyeonnie."

_Jeongyeonnie?_ thought Chaeyoung in surprise.  _Does this person know Jeongyeon-unnie? Enough to call her unnie like I do?_

As if on cue, that person's voice cut through the brief silence. "Momo! Momo! Where are you? When I find you, you are so dead. You missed the meeting!"

Chaeyoung looked up and saw Jeongyeon walking towards the fountain from the main building. She looked pissed. Walking right behind her were two other students, who looked more amused than irritated. Chaeyoung glanced down at the sleeping student and wondered if this was the Momo that Jeongyeon seemed to be looking for.

"There you are, Chaeyoung!" called Dahyun, jogging over with a relieved smile. "I was worried that I'd lost you. Oh, hello!" She smiled at the tall girl, who had moved to stand awkwardly by the opposite side of the bench.

Chaeyoung was about to ask Dahyun to check if she recognized the student sleeping on the bench, when Jeongyeon called out, "Midget! How's your first day so far?" Her mood seemed to have lightened instantly, as she quickened her pace and walked straight towards Chaeyoung. Her two companions walked faster to keep up with the sudden change in stride.

"Heads up," whispered Dahyun excitedly. "You're about to meet the Roses."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to the people who have read and left comments afterwards. It really encourages me to keep writing this fanfic :)


	4. The Roses

"You're about to meet the Roses."

Upon hearing Dahyun's words, Chaeyoung couldn't help noticing that her heart was beating faster in anticipation. She was about to meet the three most popular students of her new school. Granted, she had apparently grown up with one of them, to the point that she could call Jeongyeon "unnie". Nevertheless, she was excited to see the other two Roses up close.

As Jeongyeon approached, she grinned wide at Chaeyoung, then abruptly stopped in her tracks and squinted at the bench nearby. "Oy!" yelled Jeongyeon. She started to run, leaving her two companions behind.

"Yoo Jeongyeon!" called the shorter one. "No running in school!" 

"Momo!" shouted Jeongyeon in exasperation. She grabbed the sleeping girl's shoulder and shook hard.

Momo continued to face the back rest of the bench as she grumbled, "I said five more minutes, Jeongyeonnie. Let me sleep."

"It isn't time to sleep, Momo. It's lunchtime! I've been looking for you everywhere. You and Sana missed the council meeting," scolded Jeongyeon, pulling Momo's arm and forcing her to sit upright. "You were supposed to present the plans for the freshman welcoming ceremony!"

Seeing that Jeongyeon was having trouble getting Momo to sit up straight, Chaeyoung helped her by adjusting Momo's legs over the edge of the bench. Now, she was finally able to see Momo's face through a veil of disheveled light brown hair. Momo had prominent cheekbones that would have given her a stern appearance. But the innocent shine in her confused eyes and her sleepy half-smile made her seem quite friendly and approachable.

"Ehhhhhhhhh," whined Momo, rubbing her eyes as she yawned. "I told Sana to tell you guys that I needed to sleep. She was supposed to present instead of me."

"Well, she never showed up to the meeting either, so we came looking for both of you."

The other two Roses had arrived. They stood beside Jeongyeon with amused expressions on their faces. The one who had spoken was the smaller of the two. She had large, bright eyes and a calm smile. Her tanned skin made a nice contrast with her dyed ombre hair. She was also the one who had called out to Jeongyeon to stop running earlier. The other Rose was taller by an inch or so. While the first Rose gave off a calm, composed aura, this one seemed bubbly and energetic. Her large front teeth were prominent and gave her an almost bunny-like appearance.

"Nayeonnie! Jihyonnie!" Upon noticing that all three Roses were in front of her, Momo straightened her back and seemed to wake up completely. She struggled in vain to fix her messy hair and gave up with a defeated sigh.

"So, Momo," said the second Rose in a cheery tone. She reached out to ruffle Momo's already disheveled hair playfully. "Had a good nap?"

"Ehhhhhhhh, Nayeonnie, don't make it worse!" groaned Momo, without bothering to resist as Nayeon messed her hair up even more.

"Nayeon, stop, you're making it worse!" Jeongyeon cried. She stepped behind the bench, pulled a comb out of her pocket, and started to fix Momo's hair. As if this was the usual routine, Momo sat perfectly still and let Jeongyeon brush her hair like she was a doll.

The first Rose turned to Chaeyoung, Dahyun, and the other girl. "Thank you for finding our missing member. We've been looking for her for a while." She paused, glanced at Jeongyeon, then turned back to Chaeyoung. "You must be Son Chaeyoung. Jeongyeon has told us so much about you. My name's Park Jihyo." She shook Chaeyoung's hand enthusiastically, then turned to her other companion. "This is Im Nayeon."

Nayeon grinned at Chaeyoung, further revealing her adorable buck teeth.

Chaeyoung realized she hadn't spoken yet. She collected herself and bowed slightly in respect. "Nice to meet you! This is my classmate, Kim Dahyun, and..." Chaeyoung realized she didn't know the name of the tall girl standing nearby. She looked at her with a puzzled expression.

The girl spoke softly, "Chou Tzuyu."

"Chou Tzuyu...?" Nayeon paused to recall something. "Chou Tzuyu... Ahhh!" She clapped her hands excitedly and continued, "You're the foreign exchange student from Taiwan! We've been discussing who to assign as your guide at meetings!"

Tzuyu, completely unaware of why a bunch of upperclassmen were talking about her at meetings, only tilted her head in confusion.

"You're confusing her!" chided Jihyo with a short laugh. She explained to Tzuyu, "Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and I are members of the student council here. We're in charge of assigning guides to the foreign students, so you can have someone to show you around school and the city on weekends."

The two Roses glanced back at the pair by the bench. Jeongyeon was still combing Momo's hair, muttering under her breath about the tangles, while Momo seemed to have fallen asleep again, her head only kept up by the tug on the comb. Nayeon burst out laughing and said, "Actually, at the last meeting, we finally decided to assign Momo as your guide. It's a good thing that you met each other already!"

Tzuyu glanced at Momo, who sat perfectly still, as Jeongyeon fluttered around her like an anxious mother, straightening her uniform and trying her necktie. Tzuyu looked back at the Roses and bluntly said, "Is it too late to request a change?"

Chaeyoung couldn't help laughing at Tzuyu's honesty.  _This girl seems interesting_ , she thought. Dahyun managed to stifle her laughter, but only barely. The Roses, Nayeon and Jihyo, chuckled; they had not been offended by Tzuyu's request at all.

"Unfortunately, she's the only one in the council that can take care of you right now," explained Jihyo. "Our other two junior members are in charge of other events."

Giggling, Nayeon added, "You might have actually be doing us a favor, by taking care of Momo for us! You'll be saving Jeongyeon some headaches, that's for sure."

"Who'll be saving me from headaches?" asked Jeongyeon. She and Momo had left the bench and joined the conversation.

"Chou Tzuyu," introduced Jihyo. "Momo, this is the foreign exchange student you'll be showing around. Take good care of her."

"Ehhhhhhhh?" exclaimed Momo, looking at Tzuyu from top to bottom. "You said the girl was going to be a freshman!"

"I am a freshman," said Tzuyu softly. Chaeyoung's and Dahyun's jaws dropped, since they had assumed she was at least a year above them.  _How can she be a freshman? I'm barely up to her shoulder!_ Chaeyoung could barely even process Tzuyu's height at the moment.

"There you have it!" laughed Jeongyeon, slapping Momo on the back. "You have a freshman to take care of, Momo! You're an unnie now! Even if she's taller than you."

Everyone laughed at Jeongyeon's joke, then jolted when the bell rang throughout the school, signaling the end of lunch period. Jihyo checked her watch and cried, "Whoa, it's already one o'clock. Back to class, everyone! Nayeon, Jeongyeon, we have to stop by the principal's office for a short meeting." She addressed the freshmen before you, "You girls, head back to your classrooms already. Tzuyu, you can go with Chaeyoung and Dahyun. Your classrooms are on the same floor."

As the Roses walked away, Jeongyeon called back to Chaeyoung, "Tell me about your day later!"

Chaeyoung, Dahyun, and Tzuyu walked quickly back to the school building. There was no time to chat. As they climbed the stairs to the third floor, they had to stop, because a small crowd of students had gathered at the landing. 

_What is going on here?_


	5. A Gaggle of Girls

Chaeyoung, Dahyun, and Tzuyu found themselves stuck at the second landing. A noisy crowd of students had covered the entire stairwell. At the center of crowd stood a flustered girl, whose eyes widened as the mob of students closed in.

"Sana-unnie! It's been so long! Do you remember me from middle school?"

"Ah, yes, Lee Chaeryoung! Nice to see you again!"

"Sana-unnie, how was your trip to Japan? Can you show me pictures of your shiba inu?"

"Yes, I went home! I do have new pictures of Shu Shu. I'll show you after class!"

"Unnie, I missed you! I'm so glad we're studying in the same building again!"

"I missed you too! Let's have lunch together sometime! But please excuse me, I have to get to my meeting--"

Chaeyoung stepped side to side restlessly, trying to tip-toe and catch a clear glimpse of the girl at the center. Noticing Chaeyoung's dilemma, Tzuyu silently moved to the side and gestured her to come closer for a better view. Chaeyoung nodded her gratitude and leaned toward Tzuyu.

The girl at the center seemed cornered. She smiled and replied politely to each student, but she often tried to excuse herself and glanced around for opportunities to escape. She smiled so shyly that she reminded Chaeyoung of a confused hamster. Her wide smile, accentuated by her round cheeks, gave her an easily approachable aura. She tucked her long, reddish brown hair behind her ear, as she shifted on her toes, looking for an exit and checking her watch again and again.

"Dahyun, who is that?" asked Chaeyoung, unable to take her eyes off the girl, whose smile was almost magnetic.

"Minatozaki Sana. She was an exchange student from Japan a few years ago, but she ended up being offered a scholarship to stay here at JYP Academy," replied Dahyun coldly. "She's part of the Rose Council."

Dahyun's suddenly emotionless tone surprised Chaeyoung, who glanced at her new friend in concern. Dahyun's expression was tense, as she gritted her teeth and balled her hands into small fists at her sides. She was focused on Sana, and Chaeyoung could tell that she seemed angry. Puzzled, she put her hand on Dahyun's shoulder and asked, "Are you okay?"

Dahyun seemed to snap to attention. She shook her head with a smile and replied to Chaeyoung, "I'm fine. Sorry, I guess I spaced out for a second. Let's go--"

"Sana."

A familiar voice spoke from the top of the stairwell. It was soft and quiet, but so authoritative that the gaggle of girls packed at the landing immediately quieted down and looked up in unison. Chaeyoung, Dahyun, and Tzuyu followed suit, turning their heads up to see who had silenced the commotion so effecitively.

 _It's her_ , thought Chaeyoung, _the girl from this morning_.

With one hand against the railing, Myoui Mina descended the stairs, her eyes firmly set on Sana. The atmosphere had abruptly shifted from haphazard excitement to tense silence. The girls on fringes of the crowd shuffled to the side to make way for Mina as she approached. Her expression was unlike the one she had shown Chaeyoung earlier that morning. The soft, gentle smile was gone; her pout now formed a stoic expression that instinctively sent shivers up Chaeyoung's spine.

 _She looks so different right now_.

Sana seemed to shrink away from Mina; she tried to step back and hide behind other students, but it was futile. Mina stood in front of Sana and spoke softly, "Sana. The entire student council has been looking for you. You and Momo missed our lunch meeting. Come with me; we have a meeting with the principal before class." She reached for Sana and pulled her by her wrist towards the stairs leading to the second floor -- right toward Chaeyoung.

Sana whimpered in soft protest but seemed resigned to her fate. She waved goodbye to the girls who had surrounded her, then paused all of the sudden. She stared at Chaeyoung.

_Wait, she's not looking at me. She's looking at someone beside me. She's looking at--_

"Dahyun."

Sana looked surprised as the name rolled out of her mouth. She made eye contact with Dahyun, who suddenly turned and pushed her way through the crowd, heading up to the third floor without a single word to Chaeyoung or Tzuyu. The sudden ruckus caused the gathering of girls to shift off-balance on the packed stairwell. All of a sudden, Chaeyoung felt the girls in front of her step back, so she took a single step backwards to avoid a collision.

Her back foot met nothing but air.

 _Uh-oh_.

Tzuyu realized that Chaeyoung was off-balance and tried to reach for her arm to steady her, but the sudden compression of the crowd blocked her arm. Chaeyoung tried to catch the railing as she fell, but her hand slipped. She felt herself tumble back. Time seemed to slow down, and her thoughts raced through her head at seemingly lightning speed.

_This is going to hurt. I wonder what happened to Dahyun. Oh, man, this is really going to hurt. How high is this stair? How many steps did I take? I should probably protect my head. What's the safety rule? Duck your head? I need to make sure that I don't land on my arms or elbows. Just become a ball, and hope that I roll. First thing first, get my arms around my head._

Chaeyoung attempted to secure her head between her elbows for protection, but she felt a strong tug on her left hand. She closed her eyes and hoped that she wouldn't break any bones. She heard the girls scream. She hit the ground with a thud, a softer landing than she expected.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Myoui Mina's face mere inches away from hers.

She also realized that she was wrapped in Myoui Mina's arms.

"Mina, are you okay?" cried Sana as she bounded down the stairs two steps at a time. The girls on the landing also called out their concern but stayed a generous distance away from the fallen pair. Chaeyoung tried to snap up and help Mina to her feet, but her right shoulder was aching from the impact.

Mina groaned and slowly sat up. She blinked a few times, then looked up at the crowd of girls above and said, "Class will be starting soon. Please go back to your rooms." She said please, but she clearly meant it as an order, not as a request. The girls dispersed and walked away briskly, whispering in hushed tones.

Tzuyu stayed. She strode down the stairs and helped Chaeyoung to her feet, as Sana pulled Mina up.

"Thank you," stammered Chaeyoung, bowing profusely to Mina. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. I'm just glad you're okay," replied Mina automatically, but she paused as she looked at Chaeyoung. "Oh. You're the one from this morning. We really have to stop meeting like this." She gave that same smile from earlier this morning, and it made Chaeyoung's stomach somersault.

"I'm so sorry, Mina. I was trying to leave, but I couldn't and I missed the meeting and now you got hurt. Do we need to go to the clinic?" asked Sana worriedly as she patted the wrinkles out of Mina's skirt.

Mina brushed her hand away gently and replied, "No, I'm fine. Let's go. We're already late for the meeting. Nayeon-unnie, Jeongyeon-unnie, and Jihyo-unnie are already there. They must have found Momo by now. We need to follow."

She gave a slight nod to Chaeyoung and Tzuyu, then walked down the stairs with Sana. Chaeyoung winced when she realized that Mina was walking with a slight limp.

The pang of guilt that she felt almost distracted her from how hard her heart was beating at the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has left comments on the previous chapters! I'm happy to read your reactions and predictions for what will come next!
> 
> I might take a break from this AU for a while until I finish my 2yeon oneshot!


	6. Strawberry

After class, Chaeyoung quickly packed her things and hurried over to Dahyun, who was still seated motionlessly on her chair, staring out the window. "Dahyun, are you okay? Something seemed to bother you a while ago during lunch," said Chaeyoung, touching Dahyun's shoulder gently.

Dahyun flinched in surprise and shook her head quickly. "Chaeyoung! Ah, yes, I'm fine, sorry, I suddenly started feeling unwell, so I ran to the... the... toilet! I had a massive emergency at the toilet!"

The panicked expression screaming across Dahyun's pale face was enough to make Chaeyoung snort.

"Sure, I'm sure you had a massive thing to attend to over there," she laughed and slapped Dahyun's back playfully. "If ever you want to talk about it, you can tell me."

Dahyun made a face and retorted, "Oh, man, my new friend is fascinated by outbursts of diarrhea. What a weirdo!"

Chaeyoung shrugged and comically replied, "What are friends for? Come on! We're already the last ones here!"

The two of them rushed out into the hallway and almost bumped into a motionless Chou Tzuyu, who was standing by the stairwell.

"Tzuyu!" called Chaeyoung, "Are you heading to the dorm already?"

Still as pretty as a porcelain doll, Tzuyu nodded silently then looked at Dahyun and softly asked, "Are you... are you okay now?"

Dahyun grinned in return and replied, "I'm okay now, Tzuyu! Want to come with me and Chaeyoung? We're heading to the dorms too. You're new, so I wouldn't want you to wander into the wrong department or building."

Tzuyu smiled softly and said, "Yes please. I'd like that."

The odd trio -- tall Chou Tzuyu, pale Kim Dahyun, petite Son Chaeyoung -- walked down the brick path, making casual, comfortable conversation along the way. Dahyun answered their questions about the school. Tzuyu trailed just a couple of steps behind the other two; she seemed more curious about the surroundings and buildings that they passed. Chaeyoung and Dahyun were in the middle of a debate about the best sushi place in town, when Dahyun abruptly stopped and pointed ahead.

"There! That's the dorm!"

Chaeyoung's eyes widened as she saw the giant structure. It was a grand five-story building, with light orange walls and a red-tiled roof. The front facade was expansive and seemed to cut away at a sharp acute angle at both ends. The yard in front was guarded by an elegant, metal fence and decorated with bright flowers. Vines crept up the building and rested at the railings of balconies. Students rushed through the front door excitedly, but Chaeyoung stood back to take the sight in.

"Fun fact!" quipped Dahyun, "if you take a picture of the dormitory from the air, it looks like a giant strawberry! The whole complex has three sides."

"That's amazing!" yelled Chaeyoung. Tzuyu giggled softly from behind them.

As the trio made their way inside and stood in the foyer, a familiar voice called out from behind them.

"Chou Tzuyu! Wait for me!"

Panting against the front door was the girl who had fallen asleep on the bench.

"Ah!" laughed Chaeyoung, "you're the one Jeongyeon-unnie was brushing during lunch!"

"Me?" stared the girl in confusion. "Ah, yeah! Jeongyeonnie does that when my hair gets messy." She turned to Tzuyu and said, "I was looking for you at school. Unnie asked me to show you to the dorms, but I guess I missed you on the way out." She laughed at her own misfortune with a wide grin.

Tzuyu stepped forward and softly replied, "Sorry, but I forgot your name."

"My bad! I should really introduce myself to you after all." The girl reached over for Tzuyu's hand and said, "I'm Hirai Momo. I'm a second year student here at JYP Academy. I'm also part of the student council, and the Roses asked me to take care of you for the year!"

"Nice to meet you," said Tzuyu, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

All of a sudden, Momo turned to Dahyun, with an odd tilt of the head. "You're... Kim Dahyun, right?"

"Yes...? How do you know me?"

"We have a common friend," replied Momo with a cheeky smile that made Dahyun snort with laughter.

"And you!" She turned to Chaeyoung and continued, "Jeongyeonnie told us all about you! Son Chaeyoung, right? I feel like I've known you forever, after all the stories she told us about you!"

"Like what?" asked Chaeyoung in surprise.

Momo paused and exclaimed, "Ah! She told me not to tell you that! Forget what I said!"

"Ehhhh?!" burst out Chaeyoung, "That makes it sound bad! What did she tell all of you?"

Momo laughed with arms raised in defense, adding, "Don't worry! All the stories were cute! Especially the ones about wetting the bed!"

Chaeyoung made a mental note to kick Jeongyeon unnie in the shins the next time she saw her.

Tzuyu cleared her throat and asked, "Why were you looking for me, Miss... Hirai?"

"Please feel free to call me Momo unnie! I came looking for you to give you a tour. Since we're already here at the dorm, how about I give you a tour of the place? Have you seen your rooms yet, Tzuyu and Chaeyoung?"

They both shook their heads. "Perfect!" exclaimed Momo, clapping her hands together. She grabbed Chaeyoung and Tzuyu's hands and led them towards the closest door. "Come on, you too, Dahyun!" she called over her shoulder. Dahyun followed with a shrug and a small smile.

Unbeknownst to any of them, a familiar pair of eyes watched them from the top of the staircase.


End file.
